Yippeee & Yahoooo

05:42 hrs.
18 Sep 14

     I suppose the title of this particular blog could be "The Tale of Two Votes" as today will be the decision day both here at home and in Scotland. First the home front.

     As you may or may not have heard the BCTF and the Province of BC have hammered out a deal that may settle their long term dispute. I don't know all of the ins and outs but i do know this: its a six year contract with a 7% wage increase over its duration, there will be monies for training the Educatioeir rin Assistants and the Province gave up on their right to mandating classroom size and composition. The case between the BCTF and the Province is still before the court. A six year deal may sound a little long but I think that both sides were looking for some stability and besides I don't think the Province could have afforded the same percentage of a wage increase over a shorter period of time. Just for shits and giggles say the total value of the increase is six million dollars. Six million over six years is far easier to budget for than six million over four years especially when yourus budget is on a thin balance beam as it is.

     And the best part of the contract settlement is that the COUCH MONKEYS will be going back to school (personally, I think the parents and kids were cheering the loudest when the news broke). Its back to the schools in routine. Late nights will be curtailed and it will be homework before game time. Good results at school will be rewarded and bad results...well boys let's just say you should try your best.

     The other vote, the one in Scotland, is taking place as I scribe this very blog. Yes Scotland is part of Great Britain but it was a separate independent country that was conquered and held down ever since. Sir William Wallace (Braveheart) was a real person as was Robert the Bruce ( although Wallace was dead before the Bruce came to power). The fight for Scottish independence has been going on ever since King Edward marched in. Did you know that he had built one of the largest seige engines ever constructed? It was a trebuchet named War Wolf. Take a look on the net. It was an example of mathematical perfection.

     And after Long Shanks (called so after his extraordinary long digits) had conquered Scotland he took as a trophy the Scottish seat of power, quite literally a rock upon which all Scottish kings sat when they were crowned. This rock, known as the Stone of Destiny, was then placed directly under the British throne. When an English monarch was crowned he or she automatically became the ruler over Scotland as well because they were sitting on top of both thrones. Several years ago Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, had this symbol of Scottish nationalism returned home. Several years ago there was a movie, by the same name, about the Stone of Destiny. I invite you to take a look. Its pretty good.